Ryan Bhogal's parents rushed him to a GP surgery 12 times and into hospital a further six times over concerns regarding his health, an inquest heard

A toddler died after doctors missed 35 opportunities to save his life despite 'red flag' signs of leukaemia.

Ryan Bhogal's parents rushed him to a GP surgery 12 times and into hospital a further six times over concerns regarding his health, an inquest heard.

The 20-month-old child had bleeding gums, bruising, a rash on his body, a lump on his head and he kept falling over.

But in the 10 months that he was taken to see medics by his parents Kulvinder and Jaspal Bhogal, blood tests were never carried out and doctors failed to realise that the little boy was suffering from leukaemia.

It was only two days before his death on September 11 last year that the deadly cancer was detected at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton.

A coroner has now pledged to write to the GP surgery where Ryan, from Wolverhampton, was cared for in the run up to his death and has demanded for improvements to be made.

It came after GP Indira Wariyar, who saw Ryan four times at Raynor Road Medical Centre, in Wolverhampton, admitted there were 'missed opportunities' to help the toddler.

She said there had been a lack of medical continuity with Ryan's care admitting that had seen a number of doctors.

It also emerged that the cancer may have been detected earlier if blood tests had been taken when Ryan visited New Cross last August.

Fighting back tears as he described the last time he saw his son, Mr Bhogal, 42, said: 'Seeing him lying there attached to a machine was heartbreaking. I walked away from the ward with tears in my eyes. He was my world.'

RELATED ARTICLES

Share this article

Share

Birmingham Children's Hospital consultant paediatric haematologist Dr Prashant Hiwarkar told the inquest at Smethwick Council House that, if leukaemia had been diagnosed early, a child's chance of survival would have been 40 to 60 per cent.

Dr Hirwarker told the court: 'If Ryan's gums were bleeding on August 9 and still red and bleeding on August 18 this would be a red flag for me.

After the inquest Ryan's aunt, Gurpal Bhogal, said the toddler had been 'failed' by the health service

A coroner has now pledged to write to the GP surgery where Ryan, from Wolverhampton, was cared for in the run up to his death and has demanded for improvements to be made

'I would have asked for a blood test. I believe you would have seen signs of an abnormal blood count in August.'

During the inquest Black Country coroner Zafar Siddique, said he was concerned about New Cross Hospital's lack of access to Ryan's GP records.

Giving a verdict of death by natural causes, Mr Siddique told the court: 'I will write to the GP practice to discuss the care of Ryan and, in particular, to continuity as he was seen by a number of different doctors.

'I will also write to New Cross Hospital. I have concerns about lack of access to GP medical records for patients which was certainly so in Ryan's case.

'I want improvements to be made.'

During the inquest Black Country coroner Zafar Siddique, said he was concerned about New Cross Hospital's lack of access to Ryan's GP records

After the inquest Ryan's aunt, Gurpal Bhogal, said the toddler had been 'failed' by the health service.

In a statement, she said: 'Raynor Road Medical Centre and New Cross Hospital failed Ryan time and time again.

'There was also a failure in that medical records at New Cross Hospital were not available.

'A simple blood test should have been carried out and there were many missed opportunities to do this.

'But this was never done. Lessons have to be learnt from this. However, we would like to thank the doctors and nurses at Birmingham Children's Hospital for the care Ryan received during his two days there.'

The family have said they are considering taking further action against the GP practice and the hospital.